This invention relates to a cooking apparatus such as a barbecue grill wherein the contents can be observed without opening the cooking apparatus. More particularly, it relates to an illumination source and a slidable sight assembly having a transparent section which in one stage will locate the transparent section out of communication with an opening in the cover for the purpose of keeping the transparent section clean and in another phase will orientate the transparent section with the cover opening so as to permit inspection of the contents of the barbecue grill.
Panel members or windows for cooking devices of the type concerned within this invention are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,008,414; 2,478,253; 3,049,073 and 3,379,190. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,478,253; 3,049,073 and 3,379,190 all describe window members for broilers or ovens which are of a permanently mounted type. In these constructions, the glass is fixed inside a frame and is not removable or slidable. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,008,414 glass panels are removed from an oven door. However, the removal can only be effected from inside the unit and no means are provided to retain the glass in the door except when the door is in an upright position.
There is not available a device for use in conjunction with a cooking apparatus such as a barbecue grill which will efficiently permit the viewing of the contents of the grill without continuous cleaning or manipulation. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,648 there is a described slip out glass panel for use in connection with a grill member. However, it must be cleaned quite often in order to be operable.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 635,549 filed on even date hereof and entitled Sight Panel for Cooking Apparatus, there is disclosed by the same inventor a fixed sight panel with an illumination source and panel member.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus wherein the contents can be observed without opening the apparatus. It is another advantage of this invention to provide a slidable panel member for a cover in a cooking apparatus which will remain clean and does not require constant cleaning and/or removal from the cooking apparatus. Other advantages are an illumination source in conjunction with a sight panel member for a barbecue grill unit as well as a sight panel member which can be manufactured at a minimum amount of cost, can be assembled to any standard barbecue grill unit and can be operated with a minimum amount of effort.